Sam Gibson is a fictional character from the American soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by Sean Patrick Flanery. He made his first appearance on April 18, 2011. Introduced by head writer Maria Arena Bell, Sam was created as a love interest for Sharon Newman while she was a fugitive. A rural veterinarian, Sam takes Sharon, posing under the alias Sheri Coleman, into his barn. They eventually fall in love; but she is located and arrested. Although they remained friends, the relationship ended when she returned to Genoa City. Flanery was let go after a few months, last airing on November 4, 2011.
Character creation and casting
On March 9, 2011, the show's executive producer and head writer Maria Arena Bell told TV Guide that Flanery would be joining the cast as Sam. Flanery, primarily a movie actor, is best known for his roles as Conner MacManus in The Boondock Saints, Greg Stillson in The Dead Zone, Jeremy "Powder" Reed in Powder and Indiana Jones in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, as well as Bobby Dagen in Saw 3D. Of working on a soap opera, Flanery said "I enjoy switching it up like that. It was a medium I had never explored before. It is a different kind of break." His full name was later announced as Sam Gibson, and his first air-date was April 18, 2011.
Prior to his debut, a TV Guide Canada columnist Nelson Branco noted in his 'Suds Report' column that Sam's characteristics and traits resembled that of another character Adam Newman's (Michael Muhney) mother Hope Adams (Signy Coleman). Adam is the song of multi-millionaire business tycoon Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), and Branco speculated in his article that Sam could possibly end up being "the real Adam Newman". This led fans to speculate about who Sam "will turn out to be".
On September 14, it was announced by various sources that Flanery along with four other cast-mates: Eden Riegel (Heather), Darius McCrary (Malcolm) and Tristan Rogers (Colin), were to leave The Young and the Restless. CBS Soaps In Depth reported that the characters were on the "shopping block" as part of a "true cast shake-up". Sara Bibel of Xfinity said "While I never take pleasure in an actor losing his or her job, these characters are not essential to the show." TV Guide Canadas
Character development
Sam, a rural veterinarian from New Mexico is described as being "kind, decent, and full of common sense". The character was introduced as a love interest for Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) while she was on the run, after being sentenced un-rightfully for the murder of Skye Newman (Laura Stone). Daytime Confidential revealed that he who would enter Sharon's "orbit". On-Air On-Soaps described him as a "salt of the earth" veterinarian who would be paired with "non other" than the "troubled" Sharon, who is a regular and one of the show's longest-running cast members. TV Guides Michael Logan noted that Flanery wouldn't end up playing "yet another rich, Genoa City power-schemer" but he would be playing "rather a salt o' the earth country veterinarian" who would romance Sharon. Flanery said that Sam "seems logical and down to earth, of average means. Sort of a departure from normal “filthy rich” characters."
Sam is a widower, and hadn't found love since the death of his wife. Sam discovered Sharon sleeping in his barn and invited her in, giving her a place to stay. At the time, Sharon, who was a fugitive, was posing under the pseudonym Sheri Coleman. Sam is good friends with a local young girl named Piper, whom 'Sheri' bonds with as well. They formed a close relationship together. While she was in New Mexico, Sharon let her loved ones in Genoa City, Wisconsin believe she was dead.
Of working with Flanery, Sharon Case said that she "loved him" and said "I thought the storyline turned out really lovely, but what a 180 degree turn in energy – that the storyline was going in one direction and all of a sudden it was going in another direction. I thought it was an interesting choice and the story turned out really beautiful." Case said that the romance between Sharon and Sam "turned out great" and praised the writing. Of the story, On-Air On-Soaps said "Sharon went on the run, faked her own death, ended up on a farm, met a handsome stranger, and from there the story seems to get even more complex."